Strongest Hammer God novel Chapter 776

'I know I can't lie, but he also knows that,' Kyle thought. 'Talking about these things openly is rarely a good idea. Directly addressing such things can quickly ruin something that wouldn't have been ruined otherwise.'

This situation was similar to a boss asking their employee about their political or religious beliefs. If these things weren't addressed or talked about, everyone could still keep their opinions to themselves, and they could keep working together.

Yet, by addressing them, a personal rift could be created between the two parties, ruining the working relationship.

"Well, Kyle said, "it's complicated."

The Lord just nodded, motioning for Kyle to continue.

"I made a couple of close friends in the Array of Stars, and I don't want to betray them, but I also can't deny that I have accepted this job. Without the Cult's help, I wouldn't even have these friends, but at the same time, I also can't say that I'm fine with betraying them."

"It's a conflict between what I should do and what I want to do. I can't say that the Cult has treated me badly. In fact, you've treated me very well. You did not come to me to ask me to join you. You left that decision up to me. Sure, I would've probably died if I didn't join at some point, but that's more the fault of the situation I was in."

"I don't want to betray everyone I know, but if I come clean to the Array of Stars about my affiliation, one or both of you will kill me. So, I'm kinda stuck in a bad situation. Do you see the problem?" Kyle asked.

The Lord nodded. "This is why the Cult operates on a basis of cooperation. You must have a certain freedom in your choices. Strong-arming works on the vast majority of the members, but trying to force the truly powerful members into doing what the Cult wants will cost us."

"We do not tell our powerful members what they need to do. They are free to offer us something of value, and we will repay them in kind. This is an unbreakable decree of our God. Power must be respected."

"You have shown your value, the Lord said. "By forcing you into something, we might lose a valuable partner. We can amend your terms of employment as a Parasite."

"You will make some promises, and we will make some promises. For a start, assuming you also promise us some things, I can make an oath to our God that neither I, nor any of the people I control, will force you to do anything you do not agree with until you become an Immortal."

Kyle blinked a couple of times in surprise.

'Until I'm an Immortal?" he thought. 'That... that's so far away! I might never even become an Immortal!'

"What about afterwards?" Kyle asked.

"An oath is binding," the Lord said, "but when the duration of an oath ends, it doesn't necessarily mean that the Seeker who spoke the oath will immediately do the opposite. In this case, it just means that the possibility is back on the table and can be renegotiated.

Kyle furrowed his brows.

It still sounded a bit sketchy, but that was already better than what he had currently. Right now, the Lord could just order Kyle to get to information gathering, and there would be no way for Kyle to refuse without dying.

"What about members of the Cult?" Kyle asked.

"I can not make an oath involving people I have no control over. I can only swear that I will also not try to influence them or circumvent the oath with indirect means. If one of the other Lords gets involved without my permission and forces you to do something, I would die, assuming I included them in the oath," the Lord explained.

Kyle sighed. "Yeah, I can see that, and yes, I would be interested in the oath. What do you want me to promise?"

"First," the Lord said, "I want you to swear that you will not talk about your affiliation with us until you're an Immortal. Your oath will end when our oath ends."

Kyle nodded. He wasn't planning on doing that anyway.

"Second, we want you to consider us when you need help," the Lord said.

Kyle blinked in surprise.

That was... a weird promise.

However, before Kyle could ask any questions, the Lord continued talking. "Since your terms of employment will change, the old relationship between duty and reward is no more. In the past, you were essentially buying our help on credit. Now, you need to repay us for our last act of assistance before we will give you another one."

"If you want help from us, you need to give us something in return."

"I get it," Kyle said with a nod. "Yes, I can promise that as well."

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